Princeton University was selected by Men's National Soccer Team
head coach Bob Bradley as the location to hold the pre-World Cup training camp.

Bradley's ties to the Princeton community are never-ending
and it was those connections that led him to bring his team to campus to train
during the week of May 17-23.

Bradley, a 1980 Princeton alum, played soccer for the Tigers
from 1976-1979. In 1984 he took over as head coach of the program, and led the
team to its first NCAA College Cup before leaving in 1995 to join the coaching
ranks of Major League Soccer.

Bradley was hired by former Princeton Athletic Director Bob
Myslik and during his 11-year reign as head coach, Bradley coached Myslik's son
Rob along with current Princeton head coach Jim Barlow from 1986-89. In 2003,
Rob was killed in a car accident. His memory will forever live on with his name
attached to the two-year old facility Myslik Field at Roberts Stadium.

Bradley told his players about Myslik Field and "Robbie" and
introduced the team to Robbie's father Bob after a training session. When
thanked for coming out to the practice, Myslik, who was traveling from his home
in Boston, said, "I wouldn't have missed this for the world."

Graduating just one year before Rob Myslik stepped foot on
the pitch was goalkeeper Tom Roberts, for whom the stadium is named.

Opening in 2008, Princeton's Myslik Field at Roberts Stadium
was the home to the National Team for a weeklong training camp.

It's an honor that members of the Princeton community
haven't taken for granted.

"We feel incredibly fortunate to be a part of the U.S.
team's road to the World Cup," head coach of the women's soccer program Julie
Shackford said. "It was an amazing opportunity for the Princeton soccer
programs and the fact that the U.S. coaches and players thought our facility
was the best they had utilized made it that much more special."

"We were
honored that they chose to train on Myslik Field in Roberts Stadium before
leaving for South Africa, and we hope they enjoyed being here as much as we
enjoyed hosting them," Barlow said. "They provided the Princeton community with
some incredible lasting memories, and we can't wait to see them do well in South Africa."

"It's unbelievable that the men's national team chose this
spot to get ready for the World Cup," junior Max Hare of the Princeton men's
soccer team said. "I'm always going to remember this, especially next year, my
last year. I'm always going to come out to this field knowing that the best
players were here playing here and working hard and it's going to drive me to
work as hard as they do."

The team, a roster of 30, arrived in Princeton on May 15 and
had full physicals before starting training on Monday, May 17. The practices were
closed to the public but invited guests and members of the Princeton Athletics
Department were able to attend practices that were held from 10-noon.

Former Princeton basketball coach Pete Carrill stopped by
practice on Friday, Myslik made the trip on Thursday and Bradley's parents were
in attendance on Sunday. A familiar face at training every single day was Scott
Bradley, the Princeton baseball coach and Bradley's brother. After training
either Bob or son Michael would head over to speak with Scott on the sideline.

It was not only a special chance for Bradley and his son
Michael, a midfielder on the team who was born in Princeton in 1987, to return
to Princeton but also a homecoming for several players who play overseas and
call New Jersey home. They include starting keeper Tim Howard (North Brunswick)
and striker Jozy Altidore (Livingston) who said in an interview with
GoPrincetonTigers.tv that he was pretty close to attending Princeton.

Also stopping by practice on Thursday was Princeton Athletic
Director Gary Walters, who was instrumental in making the training camp at
Princeton a reality. He presented the team with Princeton hats to commemorate its
visit.

Barlow said one of the funniest moments was when midfielder
Benny Feilhaber received his Princeton hat. "I hadn't seen Benny since his
official visit to Princeton -- it wound up not working out here and he went to
UCLA -- I told him I was sorry it did not work out at Princeton, but I think
things turned out for the best for him."

An incredible number of media outlets were on hand each day,
when they were allowed in for the final 15 minutes of practice. During the
first day of practice over 70 outlets had requested entrance to practice and
they came from all over the world including, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,
CNN, MLS.com, outlets from Canada, the UK, Mexico.

It was obvious to those in attendance the focus of camp was
on fitness. The team would start each practice with a light jog before agility,
foot and ball drills that would take up about half of practice. The team would
then play short field, 6v6 and later in the week full field games. They were
physical as it was the last chance for 23 of them to prove themselves worthy of
being named to the final roster, a decision Bradley made live on ESPN on
Wednesday, May 26.

Most practices ended with long runs, about 10-15 laps around
the field, a break and then another 10-15 laps in the opposite direction. The
players were hooked up to instant heart rate monitors.

The players had nothing but spectacular things to say about
the facility.

"This is actually better than a lot of pitches I've played
on before," midfielder Maurice Edu said. "The team's enjoyed it. We're out here
working hard. And the staff and everyone that's been a part of Princeton has
done a tremendous job in helping us really take full advantage of the
facilities here, whether it's on the pitch or inside using the cold tubs and
all the other facilities. It's been great for us, we've really enjoyed it."

"The field's been great and has held up really really well,"
goalkeeper Tim Howard said. "It's not only plush but it's firm enough to
withhold all of the bumps and bruises that we give it. "

Just when you think you have figured out all of the ties the
National Team has to Princeton you learn of another, and then another.

Three members of the team had connections to the University.
Midfielder Robbie Rogers, defender Jonathan Spector and Altidore all played for
Barlow on the U.S. U-15 Team, a team that Barlow has been the head coach of for
the past six years.

The newest member of the National Team also has connections
to the Orange and Black. Princeton All-America Jesse Marsch '90 joined the team
as an assistant coach in February after a 14-year career in the MLS.

"It was a special week having the U.S. Men's National Team train
in Princeton and having Bob Bradley and Jesse Marsch back on campus," Barlow
said.

The team will depart for South Africa on Sunday, the day
after it plays its second of two home-field friendlies with Turkey in
Philadelphia.

The U.S. is drawn with England, Algeria and Slovenia in the
Group C for the first round of the World Cup starting on June 11. The U.S. will
play England on June 12, Slovenia on June 18 and Algeria on June 23.

It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for Princeton. Having
a hand in preparing the U.S. National Team for the world's biggest stage.

One of the biggest stage hands in having the camp go off
without a hitch event was Russ Steves, Princeton athletic trainer.

"Russ should be
commended for taking the lead and orchestrating the entire training camp
without a hitch," Shackford said.

"I don't think this event would have been possible without
Russ," Barlow said. "He handled so many details from organizing the volunteer
staff and security, to helping US Soccer assemble the daily guest list,
preparing for press conferences and media requests, equipment set-up and
breakdown, and troubleshooting all week for US Soccer. He gave an incredible amount of time
and energy to this event and Princeton Soccer is grateful for all that he did."